The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-27

for its use. as tenderly as if it had been the
girls heart ITSELF
Mrs. Paran Stevens. who has been sued for
damages By Miss Gibbons, former tenant,
maintains herself sturdily as society leader, de-
spite her humble origin and strenuous ways
This is partly due to her wealth, partly to her
connections with the English nobility, and part
~ to her own merry wit She can say as many
laughable things in hour as most society
women do in year. When she bnit the Victo
ria Hotel, just above Madison square, she had
the lower floor fitted up for stores. Pierre Lor-
rillard jr., the millionaire tobacconist, was much
grieved when he these preparations, and.
meeting Mrs Stevens evening. he said: Il
see Mrs. Stevens that there are to be shops un-
der the new hotel, and | am very sorry. Dent
you think we should try to keep our dear old
Fifth avenue free from trade! There are
too many shops the avenue already.
Mrs. Stevens. with just the suspicion Of
twinkle in her eyes, replad: "Ohl / don't think
you. will object, Mr.. Lorillard, when you see the
building finished. There will be tobacco store
in the corner The people who shrunk with
sensitiveness from elbow-touch Of trade could
only shrink and lament and move away. They
could not oppose the movement any moro than
King Canute could stop the flow OF the tides
There were restrictions in tho deeds of Fifth
avenue property, and it was too late to form an
ant-trade combination of owners, such rs those
which control some of the cross streets. There
are blocks on Murray Hill, and some away up
town In the new districts reserved exclusively
for residences, either by agreement or by deed
stipulation, but Fifth-av owners are net
hampered in that way, and the great thorough
fare of style is doomed The OCCUPATION bv
business has already passed the residences of
the Astors andis crowding the Vanderbilts' new
| mansions. The auction sale of the Academy Of
Music is a token of the uptown movement; but,
more than that, it is proof that the borders of
! There time when New York small
| that single circle of rich, we'll bred families
could fairly claim to be "our best society" It
| has long ceased to be so. There dozens OF
cliuues which are atop, and the Astor one is not
! higher than the others 1t is much easier to-
day to get into that particular social section than
| into some others that could be named. Well, in
the old times the Academy or Music with It's
proprietary boxes, was big enough to hold the
| nabobs But there came time when. instead OF
excluding the rest of the fashionable world, they
were themselves in danger of exclusion. The
| METROPOLITAN Opera-house was built, with its
| multiplied number OF boxes, and the Academy
| families had to scramble into the new concern to
save themselves. They did it. and the old house
! is abandoned.
Not few of the approved box-owners of the
Metropolitan were spectators at the great Arion
masquerade There was some measure of COM
fort in attending this ball, for the crowd of
L
nary dress is not attracted to it. Everybody
goes either In full dress or en- masque. would
| try to describe the brilliant picture, with its
| salient features, if the English language were
| capable of it. The fact is that such an event
cannot be told in English: the proper. perhaps
| ought to say improper, words are not in the vo-
| cabulary. If | were only writing in French
now, how graphic it would be to say that all the
| world was present. and that. moreover, the half
| world came also. The half word-it conveys
no particular shock to the sensibilites, and it is
possible to describe its doings without violating
the prQprieties of written DISCOURSE. To many
| of the people who went to the Arion it was a
| pleasant occasion from which they derived
| deal of enjoyment and innocent recreation.
If they were conscious of the presence of the
| half-world they accepted it as necessary evil
attendant upon a big public ball But no.
ticed that such people kept their distance from
the refreshment-rooms, and If they hungered
and thlrsted they either got without food and
drink or slipped nervousy into a place near the
Kitchen snatched morsel or drop, and hur-
ried away again to the ballroom floor. No,
that they we're so overpowered by desire to
dance, but that the scenes in the refreshment
rooms were little too pronounced for the eQua-
nimity of even a liberal German. 1t seemed tc
me that these respectable people must have
found entertainment scarce this winter to sub
NIT thus TO the sacrifice of their proper emo
tlons Nevertheless they were the most reason
able women present. outside the members of the
half-world. For the others, not content with
regarding the presence of the doubtful womer
as necessary evil felt constrained to defend
their own characters apparently. by exhibiting ar
extreme prudery Of demeanor at every possible
occasion. | saw. for instance, woman vel
along in the thirties who dressed in colors
that as offensive cultivated taste as could
be imagined, and whose Shoulders were undis
guised ale-bearers of her decaying charms
promenading on the arm of person who, il
everyday life, might have been gentleman
but who, at this ball, was a fantastic ugly har
| leUuln. led
A young woman passed this respectable couple
and attracted the attention of all beholders bJ
her independent, easy movements and her un
conventional attire. Her dress bore somewhat
the same relation to her that the skirts of tht
ballet do to the dancer, but they were consider
ably longer. Her hose were of bright pink
and she wore such high heels that she tipped
and tilted as she walked Her shoulders were
covered, and only a modest Bit of neck as big al
your hand peeped out at the gaslight She held
daintiy to the arm of o gay club man
No one looked harder at her thar
did the companion OF the harlequin
She scowled haughtily at the first glimpse O
her, recognizing the airy gait that distinguishe,
the half-world woman; then she took in at
, comprehensive glance the cut of the skirts ant
if she was half honest she admitted that th,
work had been we'll done; this she followed b.
+ a critical examination of the hose and the shoes
9 and | must say she seemed as much interested
: IN the syoung womans extremities as the mel
( who were in sight. Then she shrugged he
: herself so near the impure. Served her right
J thought What was she there fori She knew
just what kind Of people would be present. an,
if she did not want to meet them she should hav
] stayed away. or gone home as soon as she fel
| shocked as did. But my shock came from
: | momentary inspection of the wine-room wher
drunkenness prevailed to horrifying degree i
q both sexes CLARA BELLE.
a DECLINE OF FEMININE BEAUTY